Thursday 26 July 2018

Open House Faversham



Last weekend , once again I was stewarding for the Faversham Society's 'Open House'  scheme, this  year  at the Ship Hotel   in the Market Place.   It's greatest days were in the late 18th and early 19th Century  as a coaching inn (  John Wesley and Charles Dickens stayed there) although it dates from c. 15th  century.    It  closed as a pub  in  the early  1990's after a serious fire   and the present owners have done a wonderful sympathetic modernisation of 2  apartments.   There were great views from  what would have been the meeting/ auction/ function room over the marketplace  ( above). 


 My main job  was to warn  visitors about the odd steps and uneven floor surfaces, particularly as they came up the stairs 


 After I'd finished I had more of a look around  -  at  what would have been the  courtyard and stables  behind  and the 'Mary Poppins'  view over the rooftops from the 2nd floor.



 After  a late lunch I  finally got to see the inside of TS  Hazard (  used by the sea cadets ) which is the oldest building in Faversham . The timber structure was amazing.



 After looking at a couple more properties ( and the Magna Carta! )  I finished off at the Old Pharmacy Courtyard  which I stewarded last year.  I still love all those wonky lines  and the feeling of walking  back into Shakespeare's time.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Dear Margaret,
I love your photos! Please may I use one for the Medieval Faversham exhibition in 12 Market Square when it is re-opened?
Best wishes,
Diane
Dr Diane Heath
diane.heath@canterbury.ac.uk